Pseudotumoral aspect of posttraumatic digital synovitis

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Pathology

Background:

• Posttraumatic synovitis can manifest with complex presentations, including pseudotumors and bone involvement.
• Differentiating benign synovial conditions from malignant neoplasms is crucial for appropriate management.

Observation:

• A case of digital pseudotumor secondary to subacute synovitis with apparent bone lesions on plain radiography is presented.
• Arteriography revealed hypervascularity suggestive of a benign synovial tumor, not malignancy.
• Histopathological examination confirmed subacute synovitis.

Findings:

• The patient's swelling resolved spontaneously over several months without intervention.
• Accurate diagnosis of villonodular synovitis can be challenging, particularly when histiocytic proliferation is prominent.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering benign reactive conditions in the differential diagnosis of digital masses with bone changes.
• Spontaneous resolution is possible for certain posttraumatic synovial conditions.
• Histopathological features can complicate the diagnosis of specific synovial pathologies like villonodular synovitis.